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Bactrian Camel

by Judith Lile and Jim Sneed

The Bactrian Camels
The Bactrian camel, introduced in 1908, was a fine addition to the Humpty Dumpty circus. Six distinct designs are known - the glass eyes, the painted eyes, the reduced with a low fur top and painted eyes, the reduced with a high fur top and painted eyes, and the decal eyes version of the last two.


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Two-hump Bactrian, glass eyes, carved head

Considerable work went into the glass eyes Bactrian camel. Its head, neck, and body were hand-tool shaped. The face was deeply recessed. The nose and mouth were grooved and painted red. The ears were made from leather and the tail twine. Various shades of brown were used for body color.


Photo by Judith Lile


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Two-hump Bactrian, painted eyes, molded head

Apparently Schoenhut made a wholesale move from its carved head, glass eyes version to its painted eye, molded head version. There is no painted eyes, carved head version as one might think - at least none has been found.


Photo by Judith Lile


Photo by Judith Lile

Reduced size, two-humps, painted eyes, flat head

This reduced Bactrian camel was modeled after its regular size cousin. Its eyes were hand painted in black with a tiny white reflection on the pupils.


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Jim Kramer

Reduced size, two-humps, decal eyes

This is the high fur top version of the reduced Bactrian camel. This one has applied decal eyes. This one was probably among the last reduced size Bactrian camel produced.


Photo by Jim Sneed from the collection of Deborah Wesler

Reduced size, two-humps, decal eyes, flat head

Later, to save the hand-painting of the eyes, decals were applied to the reduced Bactrian camel. The heads were molded. Tail looks like a replacement on this one.